Four African leaders have issued a joint declaration calling for political and peaceful solutions amid escalating conflicts in the region, including Sudan's civil war and major fighting in Ethiopia. The leaders of Egypt, Eritrea, Somalia, and Sudan – Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Isaias Afwerki, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, and Abdel Fattah al-Burhan respectively – released the statement on Sunday after a summit in New Alamein City, Egypt.
The joint declaration appears to signal a divergence from policies pursued by Ethiopia in recent years, highlighting growing tensions between Addis Ababa and its neighbors. It expressed support for Sudan's military-led government and advocated for a political process driven by Sudanese parties. Sudan has been embroiled in a civil war since April 2023 between its army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), with both Sudan and Ethiopia accusing each other of interfering in the conflict.
The declaration also emphasized that control of the Red Sea should remain with the coastal states, a statement seemingly in response to landlocked Ethiopia's aspirations for sovereign access to the sea and a naval presence. Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud stated on Saturday that Mogadishu is open to Ethiopia securing commercial access through Somali ports, provided it is negotiated.
Egypt and Sudan, who have had long-standing disputes with Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Nile, cautioned against "unilateral measures" that could harm downstream states.
The joint declaration was released as fighting intensified in Ethiopia between federal forces and a seven-group armed alliance, including the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). Federal forces reportedly retook the city of Mekelle on Sunday after the TPLF announced it had "temporarily moved out of" the regional capital. Ethiopian state media reported that former Tigray interim leader Abraham Belay indicated on Sunday that the federal government is preparing a new temporary administration for the region and aims to hold regional elections within months.
Ethiopian officials have accused neighboring Eritrea of providing direct support to the rebel alliance in Ethiopia's internal conflict. Eritrea's Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel responded on X on Sunday, suggesting that Addis Ababa was attempting to create a pretext for an attack on Eritrea.
